Park protest over defeat

As in the game at Audenshaw Park last season former Wakefield fly-half Mike Jackson and former Sale Number Eight Mike Kenrick were the architects of victory. Jackson's accurate goalkicking and generalship ensured a 12-0 half time lead for the visitors from four penalties out of five attempts. Park's top points scorer last season, full-back Chris Glynn at last found the range after half-time with three successful kicks, the first success from a penalty awarded after an unseemly brawl directly following what appeared to be a kick which left Park scrum-half Ian Pearce prone on the pitch with a facial injury. The referee was among the minority who did not see the incident and the culprit went unpunished.

Aldwinians increased their lead with some constructive rather than destructive rugby and deserved a well worked try for winger Peter Hughes converted by Jackson. Park were not outdone and an Aldwinians error allowed Paul Bailey to reduce the arrears to five points with a breakaway try. Awarded a penalty in the dying moments of the game Park's skipper Steve Mannion had to make the agonising choice as to whether to go for the possible equalising try or the kick at goal to reduce the arrears to two points. He chose the kick and Glynn was successful but Park could not launch an attack to snatch the points in the little time remaining.

The controversy continued after the match when it became apparent that Aldwinians had contravened the law on 'blood bin' replacements by allowing a 'blood bin' replacement to remain on the field on the return of their injured prop forward, taking off another player instead. A formal protest was lodged with Northern League but it is expected the match result will stand.

Other Saturday scores: Aldwinians 2nd 30 West Park 2nd 0, West Park 3rd 36 Aldwinians 3rd 3, Birkenhead Park 4th 5 West Park 4th 26.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.